Today, like every day, around 6,000 children worldwide will lose a parent because of AIDS, the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time. November 2008By Rachael Boyer, World Vision U.S.
Kombo, who lives in southern Kenya, puts a face on the impact of the global AIDS crisis. His father died when he was too young to remember it, and the devastating disease soon took his mother, too. Remember children like Kombo on this World AIDS Day, Dec. 1.Photo ©2007 Robert Coronado/World Vision There are 6,000 reasons for everyone to do something this Dec. 1 in honor of World AIDS Day — and each reason has a heartbreaking story and a name, like Kombo.
Kombo's story
His friends call it the "big disease" — the mysterious virus spreading along the road that cuts through Kombo's village in southern Kenya. This road is often called the "AIDS Highway."Kombo's father died years ago when he was too young to remember. Soon, the big disease returned for Kombo's mother. She tried to hide the telltale signs of illness — the mysterious rash on her skin, or the sores in her mouth that would not heal. But after a while, she was too weak even to get out of bed.Kombo used to lie next to his mother at night, reassured by the sound of her breathing. One night, however, Kombo woke to find that she had passed away.After his mother died, Kombo's grandmother Sophia took him in. But life did not return to normal. Some people kept their distance, as if they were afraid of him. But Kombo is not alone in his challenges. With the support of his sponsor, World Vision helps ensure that Kombo has access to life's basic necessities like education, health care, nutritious food, and clean water.
'What are we going to do about it?'
World AIDS Day is Dec. 1
Visit our World AIDS Day page for more information about World Vision's work against the AIDS crisis and ways you can get involved.
Speak out for AIDS-affected children. Urge Congress to continue and increase the U.S. contribution to the fight against global HIV and AIDS.
Sponsor a HopeChild in a community affected by the AIDS crisis.
Donate now to help World Vision provide care for children and families affected by HIV and AIDS, including provision for basic needs, prevention education, home-based care, testing, and more.
Kombo's story represents just one among the 6,000 children every day who lose a mother, father, or both parents to AIDS, joining the 15 million children worldwide who have already been orphaned by this devastating disease.*Although Africa has received a lot of press attention regarding the AIDS issue, millions of children in India and China have also lost one or both parents to AIDS — and now the pandemic is beginning to explode in Russia, and threatens to reverse decades of development work in Latin America."AIDS is not just another problem on the world's to-do list. This crisis calls for the Church of Jesus Christ to rise to the occasion," says Richard Stearns, president of World Vision U.S. "The question hangs in the air: 'What are we going to do about it?'"What are you going to do about it?
Remember KomboAlthough 6,000 is a daunting daily number, it's critical to remember that each new orphan has a unique story, like Kombo. AIDS is the greatest humanitarian crisis in the world today, and fighting it requires collective action and perseverance.But whatever you do, do something for children like Kombo. What if you had lost one or both of your parents because of AIDS? What if your children lost you?
* World Vision uses the United Nations definition of an 'orphan' as a child under 18 who has lost one or both parents to the AIDS pandemic. When a child loses one parent to AIDS, the remaining parent may be infected with HIV as well, or cannot sufficiently care for the family without significant assistance.
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